Islamabad, August 24 : The core committee of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has dismissed any possibility of looking to the General Headquarters for army intervention to restore peace in violence-stricken Karachi.

The PPP held its core committee meeting, jointly chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, where it decided to use Rangers and police to conduct ‘indiscriminate surgical’ operations in troubled spots of the city.

“Calling in the Army is out of the question … there is zero per cent chance of going for this option even in an extreme situation,” The Express Tribune quoted a party leader, as saying after the PPP core committee meeting.

An insider said that the PPP would resist calls by its allies and opponents to hand over Karachi to the military. “Most of us are of the opinion that calling in the Army will further complicate the situation,” a participant added.

The meeting, which continued till midnight, also decided to seek support from all political players with stakes in Karachi, but insiders appeared to be casting doubts on whether the PPP would continue to pursue the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) as well.

Another PPP leader who attended the meeting said there was ‘disappointment’ in the party ranks on the way the MQM had rejected cooperation offers by the president and the prime minister.

Interestingly, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Sindh Senior Minister Zulfikar Mirza were not present in the meeting. The two leaders had an exchange of harsh words during the Sindh cabinet meeting on Monday. (ANI)